Page 90 of Unlocking Melodies

Luna headbutted my phone, clearly feeling that I was not paying her sufficient attention. As I switched to two-handed petting duty, watching the festival chaos unfold around us while my new companion purred her approval, I felt something settle into place.

Some gifts didn't need memories to be perfect. Sometimes they just needed to be exactly what they were - a reminder that love could find new ways to show itself, even across distance and foggy recollections.

Luna had taken up residence in a patch of sunlight near the festival games setup, supervising my attempts at ring toss arrangement with typical feline judgment. Liam appeared with bottles of water and his characteristic easy smile, the kind that always made everything feel a bit more manageable.

“Mrs. Henderson's got Clark moving hay bales now,” he reported, handing me a bottle. “Pretty sure I saw him lift three at once.”

“Just wait until she discovers he can probably hang fairy lights without a ladder.”

Liam's laugh cut short as he caught sight of something - or someone - over my shoulder. His expression shifted subtly, that protective instinct I'd come to recognize taking over.

“Don't look now,” he said quietly, “but Gary's here.”

Of course he was. My father had an uncanny ability to show up at the worst possible moments. I resisted the urge to turn around, focusing instead on perfectly spacing the ring toss bottles. Past Jimmy's organizational skills were apparently good for avoiding uncomfortable confrontations.

“He looks... settled,” Liam observed carefully, pretending to help me with the setup while keeping an eye on the situation. “But there's something off about it.”

“When isn't there?” The words came out sharper than I intended. “Sorry, I just... I don't know what to think about any of it. About him.”

Liam's hand landed on my shoulder, steady and grounding. “You don't have to figure it out right now. Or ever, if you don't want to.”

Luna chose that moment to abandon her sunbathing in favor of winding around my ankles, like she sensed my unease. Her purring helped, giving me something to focus on besides the weight of unwanted attention from across the clearing.

“How's the CEO holding up?” Liam asked, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

The mention of Ethan brought an automatic smile, even as my chest ached with missing him. “He's tired but good. We talk every night - well, every night he's not in crisis meetings about whatever hostile takeover attempt is happening this week.”

“That's... oddly romantic?”

“You should hear his board meeting stories. Apparently someone tried to stage a coup over his 'rural investment strategies.'” I made air quotes around the corporate speak. “Pretty sure they meant me.”

“The horror. A tech billionaire dating someone who can't even make toast without setting off smoke alarms.”

“Hey, I'll have you know my cooking skills are improving. I only almost burned down the kitchen twice this week.”

The banter helped, making Gary's presence feel less heavy. Luna had settled at my feet, her tail flicking occasionally toward where my father stood like she was keeping guard.

“You know,” Liam said thoughtfully, “it's okay to be happy about Ethan and confused about Gary at the same time. Life's messy like that.”

I looked down at Luna, thinking about surprise gifts and video calls and the way some people showed love through actions instead of words. Then at Gary in the distance, a reminder that some wounds didn't need memory to still hurt.

“Yeah,” I agreed softly. “Guess Current Jimmy's learning that the hard way too.”

The festival preparations continued around us, Mrs. Henderson's voice carrying across the clearing as she directedClark to yet another perfectly positioned hay bale. The normality of it all - setting up games while my best friend kept subtle watch and my new cat judged everyone's decorating choices - felt like a shield against darker thoughts.

My phone buzzed - Ethan again.

Ethan

Just survived another board meeting. Pretty sure they're more scared of Mrs. Henderson's festival updates than my market strategies.

The message made me smile, warming something in my chest that had gone cold at Gary's appearance.

“You okay?” Liam asked quietly.

I looked at my phone, at Luna's protective presence, at the life I was building piece by piece. “Yeah,” I said, meaning it. “I think I am.”

After the festival setup wrapped, I headed to the local pet store with Luna nestled comfortably in her carrier by my side. The shop's bell chimed as I stepped inside, and I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer volume of cat-related items. Past Jimmy had been incredibly organized—surely some of that planning gene would kick in now?

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